Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Shortening a Quilt

This in-progress quilt needs to be a little shorter. It can be because the pieced setting triangles on the ends really only need to be half-block size plus 1/4" for the binding. Below is the first step in making them that size.

I laid the quilt out on the floor and smoothed the ends, squaring the quilt as much as possible. Then I aligned my 24" ruler along the center of those blocks. (In the photo above, the ruler was not yet properly placed. I shifted it forward a bit on the right side.) Once the ruler was exactly in place I drew a line across the fabric with a soft lead pencil. I've been quilting just past the line. When the quilting is finished, I will cut 1/4" beyond the line and stitch the binding at the penciled line.

I hope it works! I hope I don't lose any seams or any quilting stitches when I cut those edges.

I suppose quilters with more experience than me are probably shaking their heads, knowing how much easier it would have been to make the half-blocks the size they needed to be to begin with. (This was the first time I converted a regular block to a setting triangle and I didn't know what I was doing.) Or possibly those experienced quilters have better ideas to shorten this quilt than what I've done. If so, I hope they will share them.

I've quilted five half-blocks and have three to go to reach my One Monthly Goal for June.

12 comments:

I think your method does the trick. I don't like figuring out half blocks when I am using my old faithful "design-as-you-go" method. So I will try to remember what you have done here (maybe I should Pin it, do ya think?) so I can do this the next time this issue arises for me. : )

I hope it works, Janet. I don't like figuring out half-blocks any time and especially not when they are set on the diagonal. I imagine that for your small quilts it would fairly easy to just chop off the edges that extend beyond where you want them. You could probably use a 24" ruler and be done quickly, right?

I don't know how to draft a setting triangle either. I've not set too many quilts on point, but when I do, I lop off the excess just like you. And it's what I'll do when I make my cake stand quilt set on point.

I've learned a little about drafting setting triangles, Kathy, and I hope I would do better the next time -- if I can remember what I learned and don't want to do again. It might be a while before a choose a diagonal set with pieced setting triangles again though.

Doing the math was a challenge, Jennie, especially because it was a new experience and I didn't know exactly what I was doing. (Math is not my strength, anyway.) And I think I was more concerned about getting the grain lines correct than getting an exact half block plus that 1/4". I tried to find an online tutorial to help me through it the first time but couldn't find one. I'm pleased that at least I don't have bias along the edges and only have to trim the edges off.

Oh, Linda, I hope it works when I finally get to the cutting stage. Math isn't my strong point, either. I don't like to waste a lot of fabric but I don't mind wasting a little to be on the safe side. If I cut too small then I have to recut everything and waste more fabric!

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